A FIFTEEN-year-old boy has admitted falsely imprisoning a man.

The youngster appeared at Taunton Crown Court sitting beside his mother during a brief hearing.

He pleaded guilty to committing the offence on February 28 this year, along with Thomas Barry, 39, of Chilton Polden Hill, Bridgwater, who also admitted the offence, and another "unknown" person.

Barry, who appeared via videolink from Exeter Prison, and the boy both denied a charge of robbery on the same date, while the boy also pleaded not guilty to assaulting a police constable in the execution of his duty on March 1.

William Hunter, for the Crown Prosecution Service agreed to drop those charges during the case overseen by Judge David Ticehurst.

The judge adjourned the case against both defendants for reports until May 31.

Barry, who was described in court as a Class A drug user, was remanded in custody, while the teenager was bailed .

The judge said the boy, who is of previous good character, could later be remitted to the youth court for sentencing rather than "the big boys' court".

The youngster replied: "I understand" and when asked by the judge about his education added: "I'm doing alright at school at the moment."

He told Barry: "All options are open to the judge that deals with it, including an immediate prison sentence."